Starring Severus Snape 4: Snape Through The Ages
by aims80
Summary: Snape is about to embark on a “spiritual journey” through time and space where he comes into contact with historical figures and sees historical events. But can Snape deal with Muggles without cursing them after what has happened in the past few years? An


_Authors Note: I know there are a couple of versions of the "Starring Severus Snape" stories floating around, ideas I have begun but not managed to finish so I thought before I start writing this I'd let you know the deal:_

"_Severus Snape Simulates" will become "Starring Severus Snape 4: Snape Simulates" (which won't be written until I finish number three and then go back and work on number two). And parts of "Severus Snape in 'Sexy Singles'" will be incorporated into "Starring Severus Snape 2: Reality Bites Snape." _

_Also as far as the timeline goes- and I know I have to fix up that in parts of "Staring Severus Snape"- the first story was set during the fourth Harry Potter book, the second (as yet unwritten) one, "SSS2", is set during the fifth book and this one, the third, is set at the end of the fifth book. Hope that clears up the timeframe and why there are various versions of the sequels floating around on . I should get around to removing them actually… ;)_

_In the meantime I hope you will read and enjoy this story. I think perhaps the first Chapter isn't the greatest it could be but it's kind of setting the scene and I do believe it will get better. _

* * *

**STARRING SEVERUS SNAPE 3:**

**Snape Through The Ages.**

_**When we last saw Severus Snape he'd completed his penance as a British reality television star- with little good grace- and he had returned to "Hogwarts" to resume his normal life. Little did he know that "normal" and "Severus Snape" weren't really destined to be in the same sentence... **_

_**Snape is about to embark on a "spiritual journey" through time and space where he comes into contact with historical figures and sees historical events. But can Snape deal with Muggles without cursing them after what has happened in the past few years? And, far more importantly, can Snape resist changing the future…?**_

**Chapter One: Snape meets Time.**

**S**everus Snape was comfortably ensconced in his study; a fire was burning nicely in the grate- because despite the fact that it was going on for summer it was an unseasonably cold night- , he was sitting in his chair and finishing up grading sixth year students independent essays, after which he planned on catching up on some reading. It was coming up for the end of the school year and Snape had always found that a bit of a double edged sword. For the privilege of having the students gone for six lovely, unfortunately fast-moving, weeks the price was grading final essays, exams and deciding what mark every Potions student would get, followed by the tedious task of writing reports. Unlike all the other professors at "Hogwarts" Snape had a different way of writing reports. Not only were they far more detailed but they were magically sealed and sent by "Guaranteed Express" owls so that only the parents of the student could open them- no changing marks or "accidentally" opening the parchment and "dropping" it in the fire.

Frowning Snape marked the penultimate sixth year's paper, an essay titled _"Eastern medical herbs: Can they enhance the world of potions or are they useless?"_ with an A. It didn't hurt that the essay was written by a Slytherin- the house Snape was the proud teacher of.

He glanced at a thick sheaf of parchment tied together with a fancy red bow that was still sitting to the side unmarked. He'd marked his NEWT students, his sixth year students, and all his fifth year students except that one, written by the school's resident genius Hermione Granger. It was hard because as far as the essay went Snape thought it was practically genius- almost, but not quite, as good as something he might write. Well at least a _first draft_ of something he'd come up with anyway. He decided to defer the marking to someone else. Normally that would be the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, but since Dumbledore was such a fan of Harry Potter and Granger was one of Potter's best friends Snape thought he might be a little biased.

He shook his head and decided to think about that later- he was too tired for such dilemmas right now. He opened the last essay, written by a Ravenclaw, which compared and contrasted the studies of Potions with Herbology. Snape made a face; not original really, probably something that had been thought of at a last minute where a student thought they could use a lot of their Herbology work from the past four years without having to do much other research. Plain lazy and Snape didn't hesitate to write that at the top of the essay. He also added that he thought Ravenclaw's were meant to be smart and that the young man shouldn't plan any future careers requiring at least an OWL in Potions. Snape didn't read much of the essay before awarding the student a generous C.

NEWT papers over, sixth years independent essays marked, and almost all the fifth year students end of year assignments graded he could have moved on to his fourth year students but instead decided he'd had enough dribble written by students for the time being and instead he picked up the small stack of glossy journals that had been sitting to the left of his desk. A little guiltily he opened his top drawer and pulled out a packet of "Chocolate Surprises" and popped one in his mouth and moaned lightly as the sweet taste of cheesecake filled his mouth. A second chocolate followed the first but this one wasn't so sweet, it tasted more like roast chicken with thick gravy.

Over the next hour Snape caught up on his academic journals. In _"Potions Monthly"_ he'd learnt all about the new techniques for mining Dragon bile and the healing properties they could have provided they were used in the very precise manner described.

In _"Developments in Magic Quarterly"_ he'd found that a study of wands worldwide had found that willow wands were least likely to break, although Oak were also relatively sturdy, that wands blessed with leprechaun luck in Ireland were the most effective in spells, and that the wizards of China were having an incredibly bad run of luck since most wands were made out of Bamboo which was now reported as being cosmically bad feng shui.

In _"The International Wizarding Commission's Annual Report"_ he'd read an article breaking down the number of wizards- only including those who had come of age, not the younger ones- by country. The largest growth had come from the United Arab Emirates where, until only recently, laws had driven practicing wizards underground and it was only with the influence of an incredibly wealthy Sultan that changes had come around and wizards and witches weren't forced to practice their craft in secret any longer.

And in _"Bewitched: the newsletter for the British Potion Society"_ he'd discovered an alarming drop in production for a couple of popular potions herbs as well as the "Screaming Stalk"- a potent potions ingredient that only level 1 Potions wizards could use- due to the rise in global warming.

Snape leant back in his chair and absently munched on another chocolate surprise (Shepherds Pie) as he closed the last page of the last journal and put it aside. Once again in that same guilty manner he opened his top drawer and this time drew out a copy of a glossy looking book.

On the front cover a woman dressed in a dark blue sequined dress with black feathers around the cuffs and the neck, with matching coloured glasses, was smiling brightly for the camera. Occasionally she raised a hand to coif her hairdo to make sure she looks as best as possible. The title of the book was flashing brightly like neon signs in many of the bigger Muggle cities and it proudly proclaimed _"MY LIFE WITH SEVERUS SNAPE: A STORY OF LOVE, LUST AND FRIENDSHIP AGAINST ALL THE ODDS."_ And underneath the picture in slightly less garish letters it said "Written by hard-hitting journalist Rita Skeeter Twice winner of "The Daily Prophet's" Story of the Year, "Witch Weeklie's" breakout writer of 1985 and winner of "EveryWitch's" favourite writer the last three years in a row."

Snape's lip curled with distaste. He'd half thought the woman wouldn't actually release the book. It had been proven before that she made her stories up- after all last year during the trouble with the Triwizard Tournament she'd regularly written about Harry Potter and proclaimed about how the boy-who-lived had managed to trick the age rule into competing and then writing about his loves, his losses, and everything in between. Snape had no love lost for Harry Potter (and, by extension, his two best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger) but even he'd thought enough was enough. Snape just hoped that everyone knew that she made her stories up by now and that he'd had no kind of relationship with her whatsoever- in fact he'd only spoken to her a couple of times in his whole life. And what's more he wouldn't touch the woman with a forty foot wand!

With a sense of dread he opened up the book, skimmed the acknowledgments and the names of chapters and opened it up to somewhere about a quarter of the way in and began to read the left hand page.

**Chapter Seven:**

**In the shadow of Lily Evans.**

**I **stared into Severus's black coloured eyes, searching them

for any sign of his true feelings for me. It was all well and good for him to assure me that it had been a full seven years since Lily and James Potter had died and that he was over her but his actions said the opposite of the words and while I desperately wanted to believe he was telling me the truth I didn't want to invest any more time in what I was sure could be a serious, long-lasting relationship if I was only second-best, if I was always going to be living in the shadow of Lily Potter (nee Evans) and if Severus was always going to be thinking about her and comparing me to the dead woman.

I knew that Severus and Lily had been friends since childhood and that the friendship had survived their being separated into different houses upon arrival at Hogwarts until Lily chose James over Severus and that ultimate betrayal has always stayed with him. But for us to be a proper couple it was time for him to shed those wounds once and for all.

"Tell me," I asked him, "when she chose James over you and you got all shitty-"

"That's not what happened. It's far more complex." Severus interrupted me.

I pursed my lips. "So you are saying she didn't choose James Potter? Because history, and one young boy, say otherwise?"

"She did choose him. But the end of our friendship was my fault, not anyone else's. I was getting too deep into the Dark Arts and Lily was worried I'd lose myself. I guess she was smarter than me because while I thought I could control it all she must have known I couldn't and I'd end up joining the wrong side in the fight between good and evil-"

It was my turn to interrupt. "Details, details." I said airily. "I know you were a Death Eater and I know you did some things you're not proud of. But I also know, Sevvie, what is in your heart. And that is that you are a kind, loving man. _My_ man…That is if you'll have me?"

A silence fell between us. Suddenly the outdoors seemed too small despite the wide expanse of space and I started to get to my feet. He wasn't going to pick me over a dead woman! How could that be? I'd simply wanted him to make a decision about where we went next and instead the conversation had returned to that one ever-present thorn in our relationship: Lily Potter. Feeling hurt and a little annoyed I said angrily "You couldn't save Lily. Nor could James. Nor could Dumbledore with his Fidelious charm. Nor could being under the care of a Secret Keeper- even if he was working undercover for He-who-can-not-be-named. Lily's dead Severus. DEAD. But you're alive. And I'm alive. Don't act like you're dead too because I don't think Lily'd want that. Goodbye."

"Wait!" Severus's voice was loud and authorative. He too stood up and came over to take my hands in his, linking his fingers through mine. I waited while he tried to find the right words. Eventually he said "You're right. We're alive and we need to act like we're alive. We don't know whether Lord Voldemort will be back and I've got a pretty good feeling that he will be. So we should live while we've got the time because if Lord Voldemort returns this world is going to be a very, very dark place."

I shivered, not from the cold. "Please God he doesn't come back." I said quietly, looking down at the grass.

Severus put a finger under my chin and tipped my head up so our eyes could meet. "Don't worry Rita. I love you and I'm always going to be there to protect you. No matter who that has to be from!"

I smiled. He hadn't really answered my questions. The main reason I'd brought him out here on this picnic was for us to discuss what would happen with our relationship and so far I still didn't know whether Severus wanted to make it official- let everyone know of our love, move in together, or even get married- but I was beginning to realise that with Severus Snape you had to take what you could get. And he had just admitted he loved me!

Snape shook his head, unable to even think of the words to describe what he thought of the drivel he'd just read. Yet he found himself flipping through the book and picking another page to read. It was a few pages into a chapter entitled "Snape's Surprise." Ha, he thought to himself, this really would be Snape's surprise!

"Come on Severus, let me see!" I begged him, laughing as I almost tripped over something.

But he held firm, keeping his hands over my eyes as he led me along. "I'm not ruining the surprise."

"You know if I wanted to I could have found out what this surprise was. I'm a hard hitting journalist after all." I told him.

"I know." He answered.

We stopped and he took his hands away from my eyes and I blinked. We were in the bedroom of my apartment and he'd magically made it larger. The bed was the centre of the room and it was something out of Muggle fairytales, the sort of thing which a King or Queen had slept on sometime in their life. There were four posters made of dark oak, silk curtains pulled back and tied on the posts, and scattered everywhere around the room were roses. In the middle of the bed sat a large box of chocolates and a bottle of champagne. "Sevvie!" I squealed.

"What do you say Rita?" Severus asked. He came around to stand in front of me and opened a small, blue velvet box. I gasped out loud as I saw the gorgeous diamond ring sitting inside, sparkling brightly, with the hope of the future. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh yes! YES!" I cried, throwing my arms around him.

He laughed and wrapped his hands around my waist and whirled me around in the air a couple of times before he stopped and gently kissed me. I returned the kiss and it deepened into one of passion, one of a newly engaged couple.

"Are you kidding me?" Snape demanded out loud to his empty room. "That stupid, annoying, lying…damn her."

He threw the book back into the drawer, on top of a large poster he'd ripped from one of the castle walls, and shut the drawer. He didn't need the drawer open to see the poster that had adorned the castle walls for the past few months, as well as walls in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley- as if just the Hogwarts community wasn't enough- since it seemed to be permanently burned onto his retinas. The poster was large, too large in Snape's opinion, and it declared in large bold lettering at the top that "HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY PRESENTS, IN THEIR FIRST END OF YEAR FUNDRAISING PLAY, MUGGLE EPIC _GONE WITH THE WIND_." The main picture underneath the writing was of Parvati Patil, in the female lead role of Scarlett O'Hara and Justin Finch-Fletchley in the male lead of Rhett Butler, in a cinch with Justin bending Parvati over backwards. In the background was Terry Boot, as Ashley Wilkes, and Pansy Parkinson as Melanie Hamilton. Occasionally Terry or Pansy got too close to the lead characters and got a smack over the head for their trouble so they were mostly standing in the background. But what made Snape's lip curl and his stomach ache every time he thought of the poster was the writing below the picture which let every witch and wizard know that there was a "special guest performance by Severus Snape, star of "William the Wizard" as Captain Jeffery."

Snape had been desperately trying to come up with ways of missing the play which was slated for the following Friday but everything he'd tried had been knocked down by Dumbledore. He was almost ready to curse himself with some kind of magical malady- like boils- that would prevent him from taking the stage. It was still horribly clear in his mind that at the end of last year he'd been forced to play a small part in a musical parody of the wizarding world by the graduating NEWT class. And look where that had led!

Snape sighed and stood up. Now he'd caught up on his reading and got a jump on some of his marking he decided he'd go to bed. He wanted to get up early tomorrow and walk to Hogsmeade before disapparating to Wales to go to a Farmers Market where he'd found some sought after potions ingredients at incredibly decent prices. As Snape stepped away from his desk he felt the air in the room suddenly change; it became colder, despite the fire, and buzzed with electricity. Snape's hand automatically went to his wand as in front of him, but about halfway across the room, a whirling mass of various shades of blue and green materialised and, from inside the mass, someone stepped out and dusted off their clothes.

The man who had come from the kaleidoscope of swirling colours was possibly in his mid-forties with a long white beard that was close to the size of Dumbledore's, piercing grey eyes and a slightly stooped posture. He glanced around the room, almost as if he were a little confused, until his eyes lit upon Snape and then he looked relieved. "Severus Snape I presume. Good." He said. He didn't say it as a question but rather a statement.

"I'm glad you know who I am but who are you?" Snape managed to ask. His wand was still in his hand and he leveled it at the stranger.

The man smiled slightly and waved a hand over his shoulder so the mass disappeared. Then he said "Accio wand" and Snape's wand sailed out of his hand and across the room to the stranger, who pointed it at the ground. "Sorry. Insurance." He said apologetically.

"How did you do that? Without a wand?" Snape demanded.

"In the future wands are redundant." The stranger told him.

"Are you saying you're from the future?" Snape asked sarcastically.

"I'm not from the future, I'm actually from the past." The man answered.

"Naturally." Snape muttered. He thought that the man probably needed to be at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Since the other man had his wand Snape decided he better humour the man while he worked out what he was doing there and whether he was a danger or just a harmless nutcase. "Now what's your name past man?"

"That depends…my official name is Tempus but some people know me by other names. Time. Old Man Time. Old Father Time even. Close friends call me Rip Van Winkle. You can call me whatever you want." The man explained. He had made no attempt to come closer to Snape as yet.

"You don't look _that_ old." Snape said, only because he wasn't quite sure of what kind of response to use.

"In 1436, the year I became Time, living to your forties made you old. Plus now I'm over 460 years old and I think that's old in anyone's language." Tempus responded.

"How about I call you crazy? So let me get this straight- you think you're actually _time_? Have you thought about getting professional help because-" Snape began.

"Wrong. I want most people to think I don't exist. Just like all the wizards and witches don't want the Muggles to think they exist. You're a wizard Severus so you know there are things that exist that most people in this world cant see or refuse to acknowledge- giants, fairies, gnomes, elves-" Tempus began.

"Please spare me the lecture. I see that you firmly believe you're truly time so I'm going to let you continue thinking that. It doesn't hurt me." Snape said. He wondered how the man had arrived in his room considering it was simply not possible to apparate in the castle and castle grounds.

Tempus gave him a look of disappointment. "You want proof? I know I shouldn't be surprised but I am. I know exactly who you are. Severus Snape, son of Tobias Snape and Eileen Snape, nee Prince, a Muggle and witch respectively. You grew up in Spinner's End in a small house where you wore ill-fitting clothes your mother found at the local op-shops or was given through various charities. For the first twelve years of your life your mother cut your hair in a bowl cut but as you entered puberty you grew it longer- by the way you should cut that hair, you've had the style what thirty odd years? Your parents fought a lot and when you went away to Hogwarts you were relieved and it became a big turning point in your life. You ended up excelling in potions, defence against the dark art, and Muggle studies- which is something you don't exactly advertise despite the fact that at the time Muggle studies were compulsory since the magical and non-magical communities were going through a period of great discontent not seen again until He-who-must-not-be-named came to power. Speaking of him you had gone on to the International Wizarding University's Europe campus in Amsterdam- which you thought was a very strange place by the way- and earned a MOP (Masters in Potions), a MODAD (Masters of Dark Arts Defence) and, upon graduation, had become a member of the "MOMS Britain" (a Member of the Order of Muggle Studies in the UK), when you joined the Death Eaters. Dark Arts had been something you'd been interested in for a long time. In fact friends of yours from your Hogwarts time expressed fears you were becoming too immersed in black magic. Lily Evans, the woman you loved, ended your friendship over it. You returned to England a Death Eater but after the downfall of you-know-who you returned to Hogwarts seeking a job as a Professor. You were given that opportunity but there were many who felt you were not to be trusted and were against your appointment. However Albus Dumbledore overruled the objections and while some might still question your alliances you are now part of the Order of the Phoenix and are fighting as a double agent in the ultimate battle between good and evil. You have continued to teach potions at Hogwarts although you regularly campaign for the position as the defence against the Dark Arts position as it seems no teacher has lasted in the post more than a year yet for some reason that you don't know- but which will one day become more than apparent- your efforts are rebutted and you remain cloistered in the dungeon teaching potions. In the last couple of years you have had a couple of pursuits away from the magical community. Firstly there was a Muggle movie called "William the Wizard" which was a huge hit and grossed more than movies staring guaranteed crowd-pleasers like Harrison Ford or Bruce Willis. Last year you entered the reality television arena and joined a few shows including "Celebrity Big Brother" and-"

"Okay!" Snape's voice was sharp. "Thank you for reciting a biography of me. How do you know all that?"

"From the Hogwarts website, what do you think you fool? I told you, I'm time. I've been watching you since you were born like I have the entire magical community."

"That must get tiring." Snape said sarcastically.

Tempus actually looked sad. "You still really don't believe I'm who I say I am?"

Snape's answer was a half shrug of his shoulders.

Tempus muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a swear word and pulled something out of his back pocket and flipped it open. At Snape's look of disbelief he held it up. "What? You think an old dog can't learn new tricks? Everyone has a mobile phone these days. Besides with two ex-wives, one current one, five children, eleven great-grandchildren, twenty-four great-great-grandchildren et cetera all spread out over the globe I've got to stay in touch some way don't I?"

Snape said nothing as the stranger dialed a number and then waited a moment. "Ah hello old friend. I'm here with your Severus Snape and I'm afraid he doesn't quite believe me… Yes of course." Tempus waved his hand over the mobile phone and said "Sonorus."

"Severus?" The voice of Albus Dumbledore came out of the mobile phone. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes Headmaster." Snape said. He was more than a little confused right now and he hoped that the headmaster was about to clear up exactly what was going on. "Headmaster do you know this man?"

"Of course. Tempus and I go way back. Speaking of Tempus how is Esmeralda?"

"She left me for a powerful wizard who works in the American congress. But that's all right, Selena took her place." Tempus answered. "And how about you? Are you well?"

"As well as can be-"

"I hate to interrupt this lovely reunion but with all due respect what the hell is going on here?" Snape demanded, the last seven words in a loud voice.

There was a silence for a minute and then Dumbledore's voice came out of the phone again. "Tempus is who he says he is Severus. And he came all this way specifically to see you. It's very important that you do what he asks."

"I'm rather busy at this time of year Headmaster. Not only do I have the Order but there is a mission I have to embark on over the summer. Unfortunately not in the Caribbean or in Ibiztha as I was hoping but nonetheless I can't not do it or else I risk not only exposing myself but a lot of other people." Snape said. He didn't know why he was explaining this since Dumbledore knew it all well enough. Normally he wouldn't even mention the Order but it seemed Tempus- and Snape had taken Dumbledore's reference on board and now knew that he was standing in the same room as time- knew of that already.

"Please hear Tempus out Severus. I think you'll know he's right and what he's here about is something I truly think you need to do." Dumbledore told Snape.

Snape sighed heavily, signaling his acceptance.

Tempus ended the call, snapped the phone shut and put it back in his pocket.

"Now you need to tell me why you're here, why Dumbledore sanctioned this visit." Snape demanded.

"Time-travel is very carefully regulated by the Ministry and the few wizards who are currently alive and powerful enough to do it have to be registered with the Department of Time Travel in the Department of Secrets. But, and excuse my lack of humbleness here, I'm Time so I am not registered or regulated and I have the means to manipulate time and space without the Ministry knowing. It's come in handy for me on many occasions- although I know that if I do use my gift for personal gain there will be a bad result. A few years back I used my powers to win the lottery and I ended up losing all the money, having my house burn down and my wife left me." Tempus said, shaking his head slowly.

"That's very bad for you but I'm still unsure of what you're doing here." Snape said.

"You need to go on a quest, a spiritual journey if you will. I'm going to give you the means to go back in time because there are a couple of events from your past you need to see more clearly, as an adult and in the light of day when you can see properly without the blinding passion that you had when the events originally occurred. You need to see these things, come to terms with them, if you're to move forward. And you most definitely need to move forward Severus Snape because in the next couple of years you're going to be needed. You have a very, very important role to play-"

Snape interrupted the man. "I know my role in the Order and as a Death Eater and you know it too."

"It goes way beyond that." Tempus responded.

"If you know the future why don't you tell me how to defeat Lord Voldemort? You could spare more deaths, more pain and fear." Snape questioned him.

"No, I cannot tell you anything, let alone that, it's something you- or someone else perhaps- needs to discover for themselves. Your fate has already been written and I can't do or say anything that could change your destiny. It would mess with the entire cosmic order and that's something I'm not prepared to do. Suffice to say that your role is so big that you really do need to go on this journey if you expect to be of any help whatsoever and I'm sure you want to help defeat he-who-cannot-be-named. Don't you?" Tempus asked.

Snape was aware the question was a loaded one. "You tell me. You seem to know everything else about me after all."

Tempus shook his head. "Nice try. Now the journey, as you heard, has been sanctioned by Dumbledore and you won't be away any longer than two or three hours- time does not move the same when you travel backwards as it does in the present- so he will cover for you if your absence is queried. Are you ready Severus Snape? Are you ready for the journey of a lifetime?"

Snape smirked slightly. "The journey of a lifetime? I hope it can live up to the hype." He muttered.

"This is not a joke. You need to start taking things seriously Severus or else…" Tempus trailed off.

"Or else?" Snape goaded him.

"Or else your end will be sooner than it should be. And, like I said, you will be absolutely no help in the ultimate battle. I'm going to give you this time-turner and it's been programmed to take you to the few places and times you need to go to and afterwards you'll return to Hogwarts. But if you see something, remember something, or feel there is another place or time you need to see to complete this journey and become whole again you can use the time-turner. But I'd suggest you don't use it more than four times otherwise your absence will be more than a couple of hours." Tempus explained. He held out something to Snape who walked over and took it from him.

Snape had seen time-turners before. He knew the Ministry had a stockpile of them, most confiscated from wizards who had wanted to harness that power for the wrong reasons, others just found, but he'd never actually used one. He had a feeling that Dumbledore had access to one but was unsure of why he thought that was the case; it was just a feeling after all. The time turner was an hourglass pendant on a necklace and the number of turns on the hourglass corresponded to the number of hours wanted to travel back in time.

"And you'll want your wand too. But of course you'll have to be extremely careful not to use it unless absolutely necessary. Unless your life is in jeapordy!" Tempus said, handing Snape his confiscated wand as well, which Snape tucked inside his robes.

"Right. Whatever." Snape responded.

"One last thing before you go Severus. And this is very, very important. The universal rule of time travel is that you cannot do or say anything to affect the past because even the smallest thing can have enormous consequences on the present and the future. If you alter something in the past you through the entire world off balance. People who should have died might live and people who should have lived might die. In short everything could be screwed." Tempus told Snape.

"Got it- change things and everyone's screwed. Anything else I should know?" Snape asked. He was surprised by the matter of fact tone of voice he'd used. Somewhere along the line, in the past fifteen minutes he'd gone beyond thinking the man was crazy, to accepting he was who he said he was, from wanting to go no further from Hogwarts than the market in Wales to becoming a time traveler- albeit only briefly.

"Not really no. Although if you need it you'll have a guide. If you're ever in trouble just call for the Oracle. And be prepared though the Oracle could come to you in any kind of shape or form- perhaps someone you've loved, someone you've lost, someone you know in the present time, or someone you have no idea about." Tempus said. He smiled at Snape like a benevolent Uncle and then clapped his hands. "Well Severus the time is upon us…be safe and see what you need to see for the future battles you'll face."


End file.
